"It's very hard to make something brilliant. It's much easier to stumble on something brilliant. I need to put myself in the way of as many mistakes as I possibly can..."
-Jonathan Safran Foer

27 May, 2008

What would I listen to if I were a hardcore archeologist?

I'm sure that the Indiana Jones movies have inspired many a young academic/adventurer to go into archeology. Why not? It's a cool career without the fights and explosions, so when you add those elements to the mix you get a pretty badass combination. It would be amazing to travel, have adventures, and save historical artifacts, but what would I choose for a soundtrack?

I'm going to start with the most obvious, and obviously perfect choice John Williams' "Raider's March". Like the Star Wars theme, you can hum it in a room and immediately separate friends from foes (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but it is a helpful trick when trying to weed out possible "adventure buddies" in a room full of people). This theme music is like a national anthem for people who enjoy adventure, at least in principle.

Neil Young follows with his own treasure-hunting story "Heart of Gold". Besides the theme, I think Indy would approve of the strong country flavor and wailing harmonica. "Dirt and Blood" by Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra takes the third spot on my list because it is timeless, and has a rhythm that is both understated and constant. Jones is far from mellow, but he is also far from mainstream, and I think he'd appreciate the musical balance that Antibalas strikes. Jones is also not the kind of man to settle down with your average woman, so "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan is a nice little theme song for the majority of his love life, but when he does find (rediscover) that perfect girl, I'd play "Old-Fashioned Love" by the Dick Hyman Group at their wedding. "Symphony No. 29 in A Major" by Mozart is a cultured but energetic piece, perfect for days spent teaching at the University. For nights spent fighting gravediggers and villains bent on the destruction of everything good in the world, I would bring out some gypsy jazz and play Django Reinhardt's "Rhythm Futur", while "Shalako (Folk Dance)" by Djivan Gasparyan is the backing track for travels across the world. The finale? I like to hope Indy would rest with something a little relaxing like "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)" by the Dick Hyman Group, but if he ever got the call to search for another artifact or fight another villain, then I hope he wouldn't hesitate to pick up his hat and start the "Raider's March" all over again.